JAPANESE EXCHANGE STUDENT WINS VALDEZ WOMENS SILVER SALMON DERBY

VALDEZ, Alaska – Nana Matsui, an exchange student attending Prince William Sound College in Valdez, was surprised and excited to be crowned Queen of the Silver Salmon Sisterhood Saturday night. Matsui reeled in a 15.9 pound silver salmon to win $1,000 in cash and $1,000 in prizes from Prospector Outfitters and Valdez Fish Derbies. Matsui said it was her dream to come to Alaska from her hometown of Osaka, Japan because she loves nature. Matsui is 20 years old and studying biology in Valdez while staying with a host family. “I was sleeping”, said Matsui. “I woke up because everyone was yelling. This is the first salmon I have ever caught so I wasn’t sure what to do. I was panicked”. Despite her nerves, Matsui managed to catch the Women’s Derby winner and also take the lead in the Valdez Silver Salmon Derby. If her fish holds on in the regular derby through September 4^th, Matsui stands to win a $15,000 cash prize.

Cindy Unger of Valdez took 2^nd place in the Women’s Silver Salmon Derby with a 14.58 pound silver salmon and said, “When it first flashed my husband’s eyes got about as big as the fish”. Unger took home $500 cash and $500 in prizes for the Women’s Derby and is currently in 3^rd place in the overall Silver Salmon derby. The 3^rd place winner in the Women’s Derby was Karinna Gonzalez of Fairbanks who caught a 14.46 pound silver salmon.

A week ago, anglers were wondering if the silver salmon would show up in Valdez then, at one point last week, all three overall leaders in the Silver Salmon Derby were caught by anglers fishing from shore. Seems the silvers ran deep early in the season and eluded anglers until they surfaced close to the hatchery. For the Women’s Derby weekend, the densest boat traffic could be found from just outside the harbor to Shoup Bay. Matsui’s derby winning fish was caught near Gold Creek. Other hot spots included Potato Point, Jacks Bay, Galena Bay and Allison Point.

The Valdez Halibut Derby is going strong and nice sized weekly winners are continuing to come into Port Valdez. Will Everett of Palmer, Alaska was the 1^st place weekly winner with a 156.2 pound halibut he caught aboard the Bold Eagle. Laura Saxe of Valdez took the 2^nd place weekly prize with a 107 pound halibut she caught aboard the Go Get Her. David Jamison is still leading the derby with the 253.0 pound halibut he caught May 29^th aboard the Nanatuk.

Halibut Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        David Jamison             Fairbanks, AK             253.0 lbs.         May 29                        Nanatuk
2^nd        Kim Steiger                  Westchester, PA           211.0 lbs.         July 5               Halibut Grove
3^rd        Jeff Leaverton             Madisonville, LA         174.4 lbs.         June 16                        Dan Orion

Halibut Derby – Weekly Winners

1^st           Will Everett                 Palmer, AK                 156.2 lbs.         Aug 10                        Bold Eagle
2^nd        Laura Saxe                  Valdez, AK                 107.0 lbs.         Aug 10                        Go Get Her

Silver Derby – Overall Leaders

1^st        Nana Matsui                Valdez, AK                 15.90 lbs.         Aug 13                        Summer School
2^nd        Jensen Rhoades           Valdez, AK                 14.58 lbs.         Aug 9              Shore (Allison Pt)
3^rd        Cindy Unger               Valdez, AK                 14.58 lbs.         Aug 13                        See n Things

Valdez Women’s Silver Salmon Derby
2016 – TOP 50

For more information on the Valdez Derbies, visit: www.valdezfishderbies.com
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